Friday, December 23, 2016

A couple of months ago I had a vegetarian friend visiting. It wasn't her first visit to Japan, but this time I was determined to find some ramen for her. Finding vegetarian food isn't that easy in Japan, and more than likely it will be vegan or else vegetarian but including fish broth.

However, without too much work I found two different places to get vegetarian and/or vegan ramen.

The first place we went was T's Tantan inside the ticket gates of Tokyo station. Everything in the restaurant is vegan which is particularly nice when a person is often having to select the only vegetarian option on a menu.

She had the seasonal autumn ramen and I had a tantan noodles and curry set. Both were good, though as a meat eater I definitely like regular tantan noodles more. My friend raved about hers - particularly the broth - and thought it was much better than any vegetarian ramen she'd had in the US. As a note, I got the set with curry because I wanted her to have a chance to try Japanese curry, but this was much more Thai in style - coconut milk based, which is not Japanese at all.

The second place we went was Afuri, which is a trendy ramen chain with multiple locations in Tokyo. If you watch the show Girls on HBO there is a scene of Shoshana eating there. Afuri is known for its yuzu flavored broths, and I just happened to notice that they have a vegan option on their menu. This is a great place to take a group, if not everyone is looking for vegan or vegetarian food. A bonus here is that if you're a vegetarian you can add a soft boiled egg to your ramen (my favorite part!) which you won't find at a vegan restaurant. As a note, the vegan ramen comes with noodles made out of vegetables because their regular noodles use egg, but you can pay to upgrade to regular noodles (which I highly recommend) if you're vegetarian and not vegan.

My friend enjoyed both, but said she's choose T's Tantan as her first choice because of the greater choice and the uniqueness of of the broth. But either way you can't go wrong.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Can you believe that it's already the middle of December? I can't! It's even harder to believe that I'll be going back to the US for Christmas next week! I'm really looking forward to it though.

The past few weeks seem to have flown by. Most of the leaves have fallen, and the weather is getting colder. It even snowed here on Thanksgiving Day! Lately I've been doing lots of Christmas shopping and squeezing in as much time as I can with my BFF and my baby BFF. Raku and I have been so excited about the new Gilmore Girls season. We've only watched one episode so far, but we're going to watch all of them together with tons of Gilmore inspired snack foods.

Besides that I've just been counting down the days until we're back for Christmas. I cant wait to see my family!

Monday, November 21, 2016

I used to get a flu shot every year, but I've avoided them since moving to Tokyo. I had a great list of reasons:

1. I hate needles. What do you mean, that's not a good enough excuse?

2. National Insurance (which is awesome, by the way) doesn't cover flu shots! How infuriating! I'm scandalized, obviously I should give up now.

3. In Japan most of the flu shots offered seem to require two doses, rather than the single one I'm used to in the US. You're trying to tell me I not only have to get the courage up to get a shot twice, I also have to pay twice? Forget it!

The only problem is that this year I'm BFFs with a baby. And he puts everything in his mouth. Sometimes he even likes to put things in my mouth. I really didn't want him to give me the flu. And if I caught it and infected him, I'd feel even worse. So, it was time to find a solution - and luckily Raku did all the research for me.

Primary Care Tokyo in Shimokitazawa is THE place to get a flu shot. We all went and got them last Saturday and I can't say enough good things about the place.

Dr. Kurosu speaks English, is very kind, and gives nearly painless shots. He also offers the vaccine that only requires one dose, it only costs 3500 yen, and he doesn't charge any sort of new patient visit fees on top of that. I honestly couldn't believe that he did the whole consultation and administered the shots himself instead of having a nurse do it. I can't remember the last time I got a shot from an actual doctor. Oh, and it was incredibly fast. We spent more time filling out the one piece of paperwork than getting the shots, and they let us do that second which meant less time to panic! (I'm looking at you, Hep A vaccine that kept me waiting/panicking for over an hour.)

If you need a flu shot, or an English speaking doctor who accepts national insurance I highly highly recommend this place!

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Four year. That's the longest length of time that I've lived in the same place since before I went to college. With every year that passes I feel more and more at home in Tokyo. I've learned the rhythms and routines of the year. There's something comforting about watching the peaches disappear at the end of summer, being replaced by nashi (asian pears), and knowing that as the air turns colder the gingko trees are about to turn their stunning shade of gold. I have holiday traditions here. I have favorite places that I look forward to visiting again.

I guess I'm full of contradictions, because I love surprises, and I also like knowing what to expect. In the first couple years this blog was about all the things I was discovering and the things I was surprised by. There's a lot less of that now, though I'm certainly still learning, and always excited to share about it. Now though, I have a better idea of what's going on and how to navigate my life. With that has come more informative (I hope) posts on resources, reviews, and recommendations for both tourists and people living in Tokyo. But there's also been a slowdown in my posting, because fewer things seem out of the ordinary.

I noticed that a lot with our visitors over the summer. They would often point out unusual or hilarious things that I hadn't even noticed. But I could remember the days when I did notice them. One day John's dad asked me about the face masks everyone was wearing (a very common sight here, and a very common question from westerners). And although I answered automatically, "Mostly people do it to keep from getting sick, like hand washing. But some girls are just hiding breakouts or didn't have time to put on makeup this morning," I had to look around to see what had prompted his question - I hadn't noticed anyone with a mask on. But looking with fresh eyes, I realized that I had just stopped noticing. And I couldn't pinpoint when that had happened.

This year this year I've been noticing how normal life here feels. Somedays it makes me a little sad that this sprawling sparkling city has started to feel ordinary. But it also makes me happy. We haven't just skimmed the surface, we've spent four years here. We've built a life here. And that's pretty incredible.

Friday, November 11, 2016

I was always planning to write a post reflecting on the year. I went and reread my last three anniversary posts earlier this week, and was starting to organize my thoughts about how I had grown and what I had learned this year.

And then the US presidential election happened. And it was shocking. I don't just say that as a Hillary supporter - which I am. I think it was a surprise to most Trump supporters too - though obviously more pleasant for them. In Japan they are calling it the Trump Shock.

It feels strange and inappropriate to come here and write a blog post without acknowledging the election, but it also seems inappropriate and out of character to talk about it here. I don't use this space to share my political beliefs, and I try to keep this space positive, welcoming, and focused on my experience in Japan. But this is about what it's like to live in Japan.

My experience of the election has been very different from anyone I know in the US. There aren't crowds of people protesting, there aren't crowds of people celebrating. No one is asking me what I think about the election or sharing their opinions either. It's just business as usual. Of course I have American friends here (and an Australian who cares too!), and we've met up and talked about what happened. But I don't feel present, or immersed in what's happening. It's strange to feel like a distant observer. I think it also makes it easier to make sense of my own thoughts and emotions without being caught up in a swirl of other people processing their thoughts and feelings at the same time. But it also makes me want to be close to my family. To share love and support.

I know people who read this blog that are actively protesting the election results. I know people who read this blog that voted for Trump. I know people who read this blog that are devastated and people who are not. I care immensely for each of you. I hope you care about me too. I hope we are able to move forward together with love in our hearts.

I've had friends tell me I should stay here at least four more years. But I don't agree. Who our president is or isn't doesn't make me stop caring about my country and it shouldn't let me disengage.

Speaking of four years, that's how long I've been living in Japan. I want to write a reflection about that, but I want it to be separate from my reflection on this election as an expat. So, I think for today this is enough.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Sayanoyudokoro Onsen is a fantastic onsen on the outskirts of Tokyo. When my friend Sarah came to visit she wanted to be sure to visit one, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to try a new place.

This is now probably my favorite in the Tokyo area. It was about a forty-five minute train ride, but totally worth the time. From the station it's less than a ten minute walk, and passes a pretty park with a lake. The price is very reasonable at 1,100 yen on weekends and 870 on weekdays for adults, with an additional 310 for towel rental. At check in you'll be given a wristband that your charges will be billed to - you can buy drinks from the vending machines, toiletries, etc. with it. And at the end there are machines that scan your wristband and allow you to pay.

They have the most outdoor baths of any onsen I've been to, with several individual ones (that always make me imagine I'm soaking in a sake jug), several larger baths, benches to only soak your feet, and a very shallow area where you lie on heated stone - SO relaxing. We were in heaven. Indoors there are several different tubs with jets to massage you shoulders/back/etc, an ice cold bath, and stone seats where you still with water streaming down your back.

They also have a wet and a dry sauna. The wet sauna entrance is outdoors, and wow was it steamy! When you enter there is a basket of salt, and you can scoop up a handful of to exfoliate your skin. Each seat has a little hose to rinse away the remaining salt when you're done. The dry sauna entrance is indoors, next to the ice bath.

One of the things I liked so much about this onsen was how much it felt like a part of the community. It was busy, but not overly crowded, with everyone from little girls (and a few young boys) to old women. And as I write this I realize that doesn't sound any different from any of the others I've ever been to - but it was. It felt like a well-loved, authentic part of the neighborhood.

If you're looking for an onsen around Tokyo I highly recommend this one! I couldn't take any pictures inside, but this website and tripadvisor have lots of good photos.

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Kamakura is my favorite place to take a day trip from Tokyo. It's not too far away, but it's the perfect change of pace. Whether you're looking for history, nature, or just a break from the tall buildings, Kamakura has it all.

We've taken all of our visitors this year to Kamakura, and while I don't think I could actually get sick of the place, I've definitely spent more than my fair share of time there over the last few months.

A new discovery this year is Hokokuji, also known as the bamboo temple. The temple itself is quite small, but what makes it so special is the bamboo grove behind it. In my opinion it's smaller, but just as nice as the bamboo forest in Arashiyama, Kyoto. Particularly if you go on a weekday or in the morning, it's less crowded. I'd never heard of this temple before this spring when a Japanese friend recommended it. It's not in the guidebook I have, and it's too far to walk, but it's a quick bus ride away. Just take bus 23, 24, or 26 to the Jomyoji stop.

My all time favorite part of Kamakura is Hasedera, a temple a few train stops away in Hase. The temple is dedicated to women who have experienced miscarriages, abortions, or still births, and is also visited by women who are trying to conceive or hoping for healthy pregnancies. The grounds are breathtakingly beautiful from the pond at the entrance, to the temple itself, to the hill beyond the the temple which is covered in hydrangeas in spring, and offers a view of the coastline. On the walk up to the temple you will pass hundreds upon thousands of jizo, small statues that have been left by women who have lost children. It's beautiful and sobering at the same time. One note, if you come in June during hydrangea season, it may take upwards of an hour to see the hydrangea covered hill, but you'll have no trouble with the lower grounds, the cave, and the temples.

These are my two highest recommendations, the absolutely can't miss parts of Kamakura. But even on a day trip there should be time to visit more places. I also recommend Hachimangu, a shrine on the way back from Hokokuji, and the shopping streets on the way back from Hachimangu to Kamakura station. In Hase, the Giant Buddah is only a few minutes walk from Hasedera. If the crowds are getting to you, I also recommend Engakuji, a zen temple that is less visited and more relaxing, in Kita-Kamakura.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

I came across a new kitkat flavor this morning at the convenience store while I was paying my water bill. From the packaging you can tell they're not just going for a novelty flavor, they're trying to be fancy.

I love fruit and nuts in my chocolate, but I was still skeptical of these. I've been burned by too many bad novelty flavors. (And yet I still keep buying them. I must be a glutton for punishment...or maybe just a glutton?)

When I opened the box I was surprised to see six tiny individually wrapped sticks instead of the usual three packs of double sticks. The cranberry almond topping only seems to cover about 3/4 of the top. I'm not sure if they're intentionally giving you a handhold there, or what.

But despite my low expectations, these turned out to be real winners. The fruit and nuts really comes through in the flavor. And the texture of the nuts and chewy fruit pairs nicely with the crunch of a kitkat. The only downside is that these cost nearly double the price of a regular kitkats. While I wouldn't buy these on a regular basis (Not that there's any risk, they'll have disappeared in no time) I would happily eat them again.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

We've still got at least a month of summer weather left, here in in Tokyo. But the end of August always feels like the end of summer to me. It's been an unusual summer, not nearly as hot as normal - which is not to say that it hasn't been very hot and that I haven't gotten in my fair share of complaining. And while rainy season was exceptionally dry, August has turned out to be exceptionally rainy. It seems like a new typhoons are sending more rain our way just about every third day.

The first part of my summer was so busy and exciting with all of our visitors. And then this past month has been so slow and quiet. My partner in crime, Raku, has been away for nearly a month, and I've had no other visitors. So it's been a time of getting back into the swing of daily routines and focusing on my writing. Editing is hard, but I can tell that I'm getting better.

Even though the weather isn't quite sure what it's doing, Japan is with me in anticipating fall. Autumn decorations are going up in the stores, and this week I've seen limited edition fall beer cans and halloween candy for sale.

I've been so lax about blogging the past few months (maybe even longer than that) so here's a photo recap of the summer. Hopefully with the start of September, and the anticipation of fall I'll be back to a more regular posting schedule.

Summer festival on my birthday

We went to an owl cafe! (And look how short I look beside these giants!)

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

We've had so many visitors this summer! It's completely thrown off my blogging, but I've been having a wonderful summer (despite the bleak tone of my last post.) Our most recent guest was my sister, and every time she visits I worry about accidentally gluten-ing her. She gets severe joint pain from eating gluten, so I always want to be even more careful when she's visiting because I would hate to ruin a vacation. Avoiding gluten in Japan isn't always easy, but it's totally doable.

I wrote a post a couple years ago about gluten-free snacks that are easy to find in convenience stores. But now I've also got several restaurant recommendations for gluten-free eating.

Little Bird, inYoyogi, is the place to get gluten-free Japanese food. They serve both gluten free-gyoza (dumplings) and gluten-free ramen, both of which are delicious. When the ramen first arrived I was worried. It looked like they'd just thrown gluten-free spaghetti into ramen broth, but when I tasted it I couldn't tell the noodles were gluten-free, and my sister said they were the best she'd ever had. I suspect the noodles are house made and used in the other pasta dishes they offer.

This is a new place in Omotesando which offers a selection of salads, quiche, sandwiches and baked goods. I was stunned to see that they had at least three gluten-free desserts on their menu, and between a third and a half of the salad options were gluten-free as well. This would also be a great place for vegetarians. If you go, the pavlova is outstanding!

Criss Cross is a cafe in Omotesando that serves delicious salads and sandwiches. They bake their own bread and offer gluten-free bread for an additional 200 yen. Criss Cross is just one restaurant in the Tyson's restaurant empire, and it seems like all their restaurants offer gluten-free bread. These are the only restaurants I've seen in Japan that offer this option.

Rice Terrace is an adorable cafe off the beaten path in Kamakura. You have to walk down a winding path through a garden to reach it, but it's totally worth it. Most of the people we saw there were having afternoon tea, but we wanted lunch. Both the pizza and the hamburger were good, though the pizza was much more filling. This is a great option on a day trip to Kamakura.

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

It's totally unavoidable, and hopefully it's rare, but long after the culture shock has faded and you're totally used to your expat existence, there will be moments, probably days, when you absolutely hate your adopted country.

In the last couple weeks I've had conversations with a Japanese couple who lived in the United States for three years, and an American who lived in London for four years, and I was really struck by how universal our experiences were even though our situations were all quite different. No matter how much you like the place you are and how happy you are on a regular basis there will be moments when expat life gets the best of you.

Days when instead of looking out the window and seeing this:

All you can see is this:

It's usually tipped off by something trivial, maybe so small you're embarrassed to even text your best friend about it. Perhaps you're crying because you tried so hard, but still didn't get to watch your own country's gymnastics team compete in the Olympics. It might make your blood boil or it might just leave you feeling devastating. If you're really lucky, you might alternate between the two. You start to really worry when the frustration overflows and you find yourself hating the entire country and even worse the locals. Is being an expat making you a borderline racist?

The good news is, probably not - your emotions are just going a little haywire. So what do you do when the hatred strikes?

1. Allow yourself to really feel your feelings
It's easy to feel guilty for being upset over silly things. The fact that your Netflix isn't working really isn't a crisis is it? It is not really fair to want to kick everyone you see because someone made spaghetti sauce out of ketchup. With that guilt, it's easy to push your frustration down and dismiss it, but that's just a recipe for bottling up anger until you explode. If you're upset about something stupid, own it. Allow yourself to really feel that feeling, that's the only way to come out the other side. But don't wallow for too long. And DON'T become that foreigner that loves to complain about how "this country" is so terrible. Remember, the goal is to push through the anger.

2. Cheer yourself up
Give yourself something small to lift your spirits. Maybe you get that donut you never let yourself have. Maybe stopping at your favorite local shrine or park on the way home brings back your peace. Maybe it's fifteen minutes of cat videos. Maybe it's reminding yourself that your local ramen shop is so delicious that you would be devastated if you no longer lived within walking distance. Whatever it takes, put the breaks on the wallowing and do something that makes you feel better. Bonus points if it's something you can't do/get back home but you can where you live now.

3. Get to the root of the problem
Are you really in tears because you can't buy strawberries in the summer? That's a legit problem, and it's ok if that's all there is to it. I cry about amazingly stupid things all the time. But is there something more going on? Is the stress at work getting out of hand? Are you missing important things back home? If you can figure out what's setting you off, you can work on addressing that problem. For me summer is always the hardest. Tokyo summers are hot and uncomfortable and at the same time everyone in the US is posting gorgeous summer vacation photos. Other than Christmas, it's when I miss my friends and family most.4. Remember your own flaws
Sometimes you're upset because things work differently where you live now. It can be hard to figure out new customs. They might be less efficient. They might annoy you for any number of reasons. Maybe you find yourself paying cash at the gym for yet another month because your signature still isn't a carbon copy match of the signature that bank has on file. Maybe you're irrationally annoyed that the person beside you just ordered a bowl of rice as side to their ramen.

This is a big one. Take a deep breath and think about the culture you grew up in. What nonsensical things do you do? What might totally irritate or baffle someone who hadn't grown up there? The rice with ramen used to boggle my mind, until I realized that I think spaghetti is best accompanied by garlic bread. (The real takeaway here? Everyone loves carbs.) I still can't remember who said this, but I love the quote that when living in another culture you will never truly understand it, but you may come to understand your own.

Recognizing things about my own culture really helps diffuse my own frustration. It also helps me snap my perspective back into place - where the people around me are humanized, and I am reminded that no matter how different we are, at the core we're all the same.

5. Do something productive
If you've got a lot of anger to burn off go for a run or clean your whole apartment. If you're obsessing over the same thoughts write about it (perhaps a useful blog post). If you're not succeeding at cheering yourself up, do something nice to cheer someone else up.

6. Know when to pull the plug
This is obviously a drastic step, and I don't recommend it to most people. But there are times when an expat has reached their limit. They aren't happy, all they do is complain about their adopted country or rant about how their home country does it better. People around them might wonder why they haven't already left. It can be complicated and intimidating to make such a big life change, but if you're truly so unhappy, it's time to consider making a move to improve your life.

Monday, July 11, 2016

It's been hot lately, but that hasn't kept from getting out and about. Sometimes when the heat is too much I just hole up inside, but this year I'm trying to embrace it. So far it's been working, but let's see how that attitude lasts in August.

Lately we've been trying to make a point of going new places on the weekend, be it hiking or just exploring little neighborhoods in unfamiliar parts of Tokyo.

John's brother and his wife are out visiting now. Yesterday we went out to Kamakura and then continued along the coast to a hot spring. While we were out there we saw one of the best views of Mt. Fuji I've ever had.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

John's dad has been out here visiting for the past week, conveniently falling over Father's Day. I can't believe how quickly his visit has come and gone (I think I say this every time) but it really was wonderful.

We've visited lots of temples and shrines where we were even able to see two weddings, and about a million blooming iris and hydrangeas. We also went to an afternoon baseball game, had dinner with Shiori, their exchange student from years past, got in some World War II history, and ate tons of delicious Japanese food.

In less than three weeks we'll have more visitors, and my sister just bought a ticket to come out too, so the fun is just going to continue all summer.

I love the red and white bowls at this ramen shop

The Imperial Palace is full of iris in June

The perfect Father's Day

Every time they get a run, the Yakult Swallows fans do a dance with umbrellas

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Rainy season officially begins today, though the weather is actually looking nicer than yesterday. I can't believe it's already June and already rainy season. I've done a terrible job of blogging for the past month, but I'm still here - and intending to do better.

It's finally starting to feel like summer, and this one's going to be a busy one. My father-in-law is coming to visit next week, and next month my brother-in-law and his wife are coming out. I absolutely love having visitors and getting the chance to show off the Tokyo I love. I guess that's a lot of the reason I'm still blogging too.

A couple weeks ago the G7 Summit was in Japan and the security was intense. Even though the meeting wasn't in Tokyo the train stations were flooded with police, the streets filled with local security, and even vending machines and trash cans closed up for the duration.